Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-12
BEECHER 0BSEQUIES
THE sYRvIcfs At PLYMOUTH CHURCH
Yesterday.
o,cst Coneourss Of People Present Rev.
Or. Halrs Discourse over 10000.
People view the Remains.
ny telegraph 10 the Dispatch

~,ss was entirely suspended, and
memorial services were held in a large
rnub,r If churches in the vicinity of
Uymouth church The uptown
tnc;s looked deserted. As early
e e O'Clock Fulton avenue
was trorP,d with people hurry
ircmt the direction Of Plymouth church.
mes Of police were stationed at the
,rl4ol tie block on which the church
is situated, and no one was-allowed to
mass through the lines unless he had a
G.hct lCCrc 8 o'clock the line in
Cmncc stree, was two blocks long.
tbrco abreast The side streets we're
hacked Wit people, who hung around
hoping tina, they might be able 10 get
an without ticket
The members of Plymouth Company
q. OF the Thirteenth regiment, of which
Mr.. Beochor WAS chaplain, were sta
toned ut the doors of the church and
in the lccturc-room. They were under
the command OF Lieutenant l.. T. Skin
ncrand Second LieuteuantN n. A. Brown.
PLYMOUTH CHURCH FILLED WITH
FLOWERS.
While the vast crowd of people were
Gathering outside Of the church the
lady members OF the congregation were
working hike beavers within dressing
the pulpit and casket with flowers. The
whole INF, rior was turned into perfect
flower garden, and fragrant perfume
Of roses pcryaded the air. The walls,
galleries. and organ were covered with
cvergeoIs and Gala lilies The read
ing-desk was covered with French roses
and vines, as was also the chair in
which MIR. Beecher sat for 50 many
years.
One floral emblem was in shape a
triangle. on the top of which were
pcrehed two white doves with white
ribbons in their bills. The facade OF
the gallery was covered with ported
plants. The pulpit was loaded down
with flowers and floral emblems sent by
friends and different organizations.
The casket was placed on a cstafalque
of white roses, white carnations, and
smilax, directly in front of the reading
desk. Mrs $. V. White and several
ladies devoted their time before the
doors were opened in covering the
caskot with lilies of the valley,
cucharis roses, smilax, maiden hair
ferns, tube-roses, and French moss.
when they finished not a vestige of the
black cloth covering of the casket could
he seen. There was nothing to indicate
the presence Of death except the still
ness which pervaded the room and the
hushcd conversation of the workers.
The church had more the APP
poarancc of wedding than o
funeral. A photographer took q
picture of the floral decorations
and the caskct. 1t was nearly 10 o'clock
before the doors were thrown open TO
those who had bee" waiting without
the doors impatiently for nearly three
lours. Tie people entered by the
Orange-sireet entrance. During the
time that the audience were being
shown to their seats Organist Henry
Rowe Shelly played low, sweet music
upon the grand organ.
THE BEECHER FAMILY NOT PRESENT.
The FIRST four seats on the right of
the centre aisle were reserved for the
relatives of deceased. Mr. Beecher's
family were not present and the family
pew was filed with flowers Mrs.
Beecher was in the church for few
minutes before the doors were opened
and left with her sons before the crowd
entered. On the left side Of the centre
aisle were the members Of the clerical
union, Of which Mr. Beecher was
member for number of years. Be-
hind these were seated the Thirteenth
regiment, and then came the members
of the Legislative committee, who wore
badges made Of white silk.
Behind these were seated delegations
from nearly every social, political, or
religious organization i'll New York and
Brooklyn. There was large delega-
ton of culOred ministers present.
THE SERVICES BEGUN.
At halfpast 10 o'clock Rev. DR.
Charles H. Hall, robed in his white
surplice, and accompanied by Rev. >.
b. Halliday, entered the church AMI
ascended the platform. When the mu
sic ceased Ir. Hall commenced to read
III low, clear tones the opening sen
tcnces Of the Protestant Episcopal
burial service.
After these the double quartette, COM
posed of MIS-. Shelley, soprano; Miss
Cayanah, alto; Mrs. Grant, soprano
Mrs. Rosan, alto; Mr.. Gaff. Mr. War
renroth, tenors: Mr. Brown, Mr.. Stews,
basso, and chorus of sixty voices, sang
the burial chant, Lord, Let Me
Know Mine End" The lesson was
read by Or. Hall, and prayer
was delivered by Rev. S. b. Hal
liday. The rest of the musical
programme was as follows: Anthem,
blessed Are the Departed, " Spohe
hymu. Jesus, Lover of Ny Soul,
Fundel: sentence, q Heard Voice,
Shelley; hymn, " Hark, Hank, My
Soul" The organ was presided over
by Henry Eyre Brown and General
horatio c. King.
After the first lesson DR.. Hall com
meBced his Grafton. During its de-
livery there was not dry eye in the
bouse. and several times he was COM
relied to stop for short time to gam
control of his voice.
DIR. HALLS ADDRESS.
The Rev. Or. Charles L. Hall said
The hand that rests so still yonder land
aside tie pen over a page of the untin-
ished Life of Christ Possibly the
last fash of thought, as the conviction
grew upon him of the probable end OF
life. was that His life was TO be left I'M
fnished-that he had not told all men
that he would have them know OF that
precious revelation. Possibly as the
spirit fed away to be with Christ whom
he had been serving, the full knowledge
came to him Of that shoreless ocean
Of eternal life which is to know God,
and JESUS Christ, whom He hath sent
that /, the beatific vision, the love OF
Christ. which passeth knowledge. We
dwell on one tiny ray Of 1t here and
dream about il. The departed saints
of God have already put out on its I'M
measurable spaces and learned that the
life of Christ is never finished. II IS
Tie one word OF God which IS ever
spoken, echoing again and again. on
and on, with ceaseless reyerbera-
tious, down the centuries. II there
was one thing that stirred the